Long Live
by she-never-missed
Summary: "Don't get too friendly with him though, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pure-blood." Scorpius Malfoy and Rose Weasley were set against each other since they set foot on Hogwarts grounds. But could seven years change the family rivalry that set them apart? Based on Long Live by Taylor Swift. / Next-gen. Scorose
1. Chapter 1

**Hey all, this is going to be a seven-chapter fic, one for each of Scorpius and Rose's years of Hogwarts. All reviews are very appreciated, enjoy! (And sorry if anyone saw that weird no-paragraph cheese block earlier- I'm not sure what happened. But I have actual paragraphs. Promise.)**

** ~Dani**

**Year 1**

_"Of all the years that we stood there_

_On the side-lines, wishing for right now"_

"Don't get too friendly with him though, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pure-blood." Dad's tone was light, but he didn't seem to be kidding.

Mum started to scold him again, but I stopped paying attention, turning my eyes on the boy in question. Scorpius Malfoy. I noticed his piercing blue eyes from all the way across the platform; the way they seemed to be smirking even as the rest of his face stayed unmoving, the way they had an edge to them I couldn't quite place. The way they were trained directly on me. For a moment, neither of us looked away, and I stayed watching him for a few moments even after he turned back around.

I said my goodbyes quickly. I wasn't really too nervous, not nearly as much as Albus was, but I was never one for weepy farewells. So my parting words consisted of a short: "Yes, Mum, I'll be careful. Yes, I'll miss you too. Bye, Dad. 'Later, Hugo. See you all at Christmas," and I was off.

It wasn't until I was on the train that I realized I wasn't sure where to go. James had run off somewhere, not that I'd expected him to stay with me, but Albus, who could usually be counted on to be around, was also nowhere to be seen.

The longer I searched for a familiar face, the more I noticed the staring. I had the trademark red Weasley hair, but I was always told my resemblance to my mother was striking. Put together, I might as well have had a blazing sign above my head reading _'Child of the Golden Tri_o'. I shrunk back into my robes.

I was starting to seriously consider hiding out in the bathroom compartment when a voice spoke up from my right. "You can sit here if you'd like."

I turned, finding myself looking into those steely blue eyes I'd been so mesmerized by when I saw them on the platform. He grinned nonchalantly, running a hand through his platinum blonde hair.

"Alright," I said. Awkwardly, I manoeuvred myself into his compartment and sat down, ringing my fingers together in my lap.

"Rose, right?" he said, and I nodded. "Scorpius," and then as an afterthought, "Malfoy. Scorpius Malfoy."

I nodded again, remembering what my father had told me when we first saw Scorpius and his family. _'Make sure you beat him in every test._' Looking back into his face, I thought it might not be so easy. There was arrogance first, a blinding confidence, but beyond that lay a calculating intelligence. His eyes were focused, even now.

His eyebrows raised at my lengthy silence. "You alright there, Red?" But he didn't sound concerned.

I cringed at the nickname that I had always shared with my cousin Lily, given to us by her ever-pleasant brother James. Scorpius noticed. His grin widened.

I'm not sure why really -maybe it was the rivalry of our parents coming back for us, maybe something else- but rather than staying my usual calm and collected, I minded. Something about that careless smirk, those amused, cool eyes, his casual arrogance; I minded. So I sat thinking in silence, wondering why he made my blood boil.

* * *

_ 'Gryffindor!'_ I could hear it in my head. Of course I'd be Gryffindor, like my mother and my father, like Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny. Of course I would.

I was so caught up in my own fantasies that I wasn't even paying attention to the Sortings until I heard my cousin's name called out. "Albus Potter."

I heard James yell something from the Gryffindor section, and the nervous, dark haired boy made his way to the Sorting Hat.

It might have been all in my head, but when it was placed on his head, I could almost feel the room take a collective breath. This was Albus Severus Potter, second child of Harry Potter, savior of the wizarding world. His first child, James II, had taken his rightful place in his parents' house, and the whole world wanted to see if his brother would do the same. In question

The Hat stayed silent for a while, longer than usual, while Albus sat with his eyes closed and mouth pressed into a hard line. But finally, it perked up towards the crowd and called out: "Gryffindor!"

The responding house roared, deafening the rest of the students with a satisfaction and volume that rivaled that of a pride of lions.

I heard shouts of "We got another one!" and "Bring it here, little Harry Potter!" and I couldn't help but smile. Albus, looking relieved, bewildered, and very much like an eleven year old Harry Potter, made his way over to the Gryffindor table, where he was greeted with warm handshakes and high-fives and pats on the back. Even James knocked him on the side of his head in welcoming and laughed something into his ear before melting back into the crowd.

I watched them, once again not paying attention to the Sortings, until I heard my name finally called. "Rose Weasley."

I got up, my breath catching as I did. I could hear whispers, like there were for Albus, but I tried to ignore them. I tried to catch my cousin's eye as I sat down on the stool, but he had disappeared into the sea of new Gryffindors.

Someone placed the Hat on my head, and I tensed as I heard it's voice in my mind. _'A brave heart, this one,'_ It mused, _'You could do well in Gryffindor.'_ There was a pause, _'Although, you think with your mind, don't you. Not with your heart. Ravenclaw could use a witch like you.'_

I swallowed hard. Ravenclaw? My mother always told me I was going to be one of the smartest witches in my year. She said that she could just tell these things, that I should just wait and see. But the thought of being sorted into Ravenclaw had never even crossed my mind. Could I be Ravenclaw, even if my family's home was in a different house? Even if I'd be the first Weasley since Hogwarts was founded to not be sorted into the house of Godric Gryffindor?

_'If you're not Gryffindor I'll disinherit you,'_ I remembered Dad joking before I boarded the train. And I made up my mind. I couldn't let being a Weasley interfere with being Rose.

I felt the Hat shift atop my head. "Ravenclaw!"

* * *

There was applause. The blue-clad wizards at the Ravenclaw table were cheering and shouting, but the rest of the houses had emerged themselves in discussion. The words '_Gryffindor'_, _'Ron'_ and _'Hermione'_ could be heard above the rest, loudly and repeatedly.

Unsurely, I walked over to my new house, and was surprised to find Scorpius Malfoy standing there. He smirked at me as I saw him, and I found myself wondering how he wasn't sorted into Slytherin. Although to be fair, the same could be said about me and Gryffindor.

My eyes found Albus', and he smiled reassuringly. He understood, I knew he did. That we couldn't let our parents define us, or we'd live forever in their shadows . I wasn't Hermione Granger, or Ron Weasley -Gryffindor Legends. I was me. Rose Weasley. Ravenclaw.

* * *

"I can't believe you're friends with Scorpius Malfoy," I complained, folding my arms over my chest. I was sitting in the Ravenclaw common room, Albus sprawled in the seat across from me. Although it wasn't his proper house, between hanging out with Scorpius and coming to see me, he probably spent more time here than in Gryffindor Tower.

"He's not that bad Rose," my cousin protested, "He's not even a Slytherin. Shouldn't that count for something?"

"The fact that he is decently intelligent does not change the fact that he is an arrogant, obnoxious, twat."

"Talking about me are we?" The blonde emerged, smirking as usual, from the boys dormitories. "I'm offended, Weasley."

Surprise overpowering rationality, I felt my face turn red. "Go away, Malfoy," I said, but it lacked the conviction I would have liked.

Al sighed. "Lay off it, you two," he said.

Scorpius shrugged, "If I remember correctly -which I do- I was the one just minding my own business before I was so callously insulted._ But_, if you insist," he mock bowed to me, his eyes not leaving mine, "Sincerest apologies, m'lady."

"That is very much not what I meant," Albus noted, and Scorpius laughed, turning for the exit.

"See you, Al. Catch you later, Red."

I swallowed, and I felt my face burn.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey all, first off, I wanted to thank those who reviewed/favourited/followed last time. It actually means so much. Simple reviews actually make my day more than you know. Secondly, I want to re-apologize for the no format thing last time. Shockingly, I actually _am _familiar with the concept of paragraphs. Imagine that. Continuing, here's the chapter. Enjoy! *cough*reviewpleaseplease *cough***

**~Dani**

**Year 2**

_"The time we stood with our shaking hands,_

_The crowds in stands went wild"_

"Hey, Weasley! A little birdy told me you were trying out for Ravenclaw Seeker." I heard Scorpius's voice calling down the hallway to me as his footsteps quickened.

"I thought we agreed that we weren't going to talk to animals anymore, Malfoy," I said, without turning around.

"Cut the sarcasm, Red," he said, falling into step with me, "Is it true?"

"Maybe, maybe not," I shrugged, "What's it to you?"

"What's it to me? _I'm _going to be Ravenclaw Seeker. I'd hate to see you get embarrassed at tryouts. After all, my father was Hogwarts' best Seeker when he was in school. It's in my blood."

I couldn't help but scoff. "Your father? The best?" I shook my head, "Uncle Harry was easily more talented. So if we're going off genetics here, I am clearly the better pick."

He flashed his signature Malfoy smirk, "Well if you're so sure, see you on the pitch." And he walked off.

I smiled. He'd see me on the pitch, alright. He'd see me win. Because that's what I do. I win. I win to help my house, I win to prove myself to the students of Hogwarts, but most of all, I win so I can make sure I always beat Scorpius Malfoy.

* * *

It was raining. To be quite honest, you'd think someone would put up a charm to protect Hogwarts from bad weather, but no. I was trying out for the Ravenclaw quidditch in a rainstorm. Naturally.

I didn't really mind rain, but as my shoes splashed through the wet grass and endlessly got themselves stuck in the mud, I found myself cursing the clouds and the sky and the existence of water itself.

He was waiting for me. His blonde hair didn't have a drop of water on it; charmed most likely. His sly grin made me regret not thinking of it as well as I felt my hair sticking to the back of my neck. "You ready, Red?" he called as I got close enough.

"'Course I am," I said, "You?"

"I was born ready."

Slowly, other hopefuls started trickling out from the change rooms, glancing wistfully at the sky or complaining to their friends about the weather.

Finally, an older boy stepped up and blew a whistle. "Ravenclaws! Listen up, we have to get through all these tryouts before the Gryffindors come take the pitch. We only have a few hours. Chasers first, follow me."

I sat down, pulling my robes up around me, and ran my fingers along the edges of my broom. I watched Scorpius, who was standing alone, not too far away. I thought of going over to him, but decided against it, instead weighing my odds of winning the position of Seeker. Malfoy was going to be good, that much I knew. He had too much pride to come out here and try out for something that he didn't think he'd be able to get. But I had a brother and two older cousins. James had been a Chaser for Gryffindor since his second year, and Albus was trying for Keeper this year. Hugo and Lily had long since decided which positions they wanted to play once they got to Hogwarts; Beater and Chaser, respectively. I'd grown up playing Quidditch, and I wasn't going to let Malfoy stop me from continuing.

"Seekers," the boy from before called out as the Chasers made their way back to the benches, "Get out here. Keepers, be ready."

I jogged out to where our Captain was waiting for us, Scorpius just a step ahead of me.

"Tryouts are simple," he said, Malfoy, a few other kids, and I stopped in front of him, "I'll release the snitch, and the first to capture it wins; just like a real game. There's no bludgers to watch out for, so just focus on the snitch." As he spoke, he let the golden ball fly out into the sky. "On my count."

We mounted our brooms, and I turned to look at Scorpius. "Let the best Seeker win," I said.

"I intend to."

I rolled my eyes, "Don't get too full of yourself, Malfoy," I said.

The captain started counting, and we dug our feet into the damp earth. "Please," he said, "It's what I do."

We both soared up into the rain, the cold water pounding down on my face. I tried fly higher than the other Seekers, to gain the advantage of a better viewpoint, but it quickly became evident that you couldn't see three feet in front of your own face anyways.

Cursing the rain, I circled the pitch, occasionally seeing a flash of blue, but never the whizzing gold I was looking for. My only comfort was that there was no whistle, meaning that none of the other competitors had found the snitch either.

After what seemed like an eternity of desperate circling, something caught my eye. I saw Malfoy, not too far away, suddenly snapping his head up in my direction and racing towards me. I followed his gaze and gasped, getting a mouthful of water in the process. The snitch. Floating not ten feet out of my reach.

I set myself into motion. I was closer than Malfoy, but not by much, and he was already moving. Before long, we were neck and neck, and the snitch flew off, keeping us in hot pursuit.

"Forget it, Weasley," I heard him yell above the wind, "You'll never get it."

"Don't be so sure," I said back, gritting my teeth.

I could hear the fluttering of the snitch's tiny wings, even above the relentless hammering of rainwater in my ears. It sounded like it was laughing at me.

We were close now. Both of us were flying faster than the snitch, and we were just out of arms reach. Both of our hands were outstretched, side by side. It was anyone's game.

I saw another flash of blue up ahead and thought of how if another Seeker came racing at the snitch from the other side, collision would be inevitable. It was time to end this.

Filled with a new resolution, I surged forwards. I flew upwards, throwing off the blonde Seeker beside me, and plunged back down, taking the snitch with me.

Scorpius flinched backwards as he realized what I'd done, and my wet fingers closed around the golden ball. I pumped my fist in victory and sailed back down to the ground, beaming.

Scorpius landed beside me, "Unbelievable," he said, "I had it."

I grinned, pinching the snitch between my thumb and forefinger, waving it in the air, "Evidently not."

Our captain walked over to us, flanked by two of the team's more intermediate players, "Weasley, right? You've got promise. And only second year too." He turned to Scorpius, "That was some fancy flying there, Malfoy. You play any other positions?"

"Beater," he said, seemingly unconcerned of his loss of the Seeker position.

The boy nodded, "Tryouts are right after the Keepers."

Scorpius walked back to the benches together, me still smiling and him shaking his head slightly. "Fair and square, I guess, Weasley," he held out his hand, and I shook it, "Good game."

* * *

We were suiting up for the first match of the season. We were playing Hufflepuff, so it wasn't as daunting as playing Slytherin or Gryffindor would be, but it was still both Scorpius and I's first game.

"Ready, Weasley?" he asked me, as we headed out onto the pitch. After I beat him out for Seeker, he became a Ravenclaw Beater easily. With his graceful flying and perfect coordination, he hadn't mishit a bludger since the beginning of the season.

We mounted our brooms, and before we took off, I smiled over at him, "Aren't I always?"

With the weather considerably better than that on the day of our tryouts, I could see across the entire pitch. Blue-clad Ravenclaws were dominating the action, and the stands were packed with people. I scanned the skies for the snitch, and saw the Hufflepuff seeker doing the same from the other side of the pitch.

I stopped circling, simply hovering over action, watching. I heard the bludger before I saw it, whistling towards me. I turned to face it, and although if I stayed where I was I'd be hit right off my broom, I couldn't find the willpower to move. I stared, stunned and wide-eyed, as it streaked towards me, all of my training abandoning me.

I winced back, preparing for impact that never came. I blur of blue robes and blonde hair flew by me, knocking the bludger off its course and towards an unsuspecting Hufflepuff Chaser.

"Watch yourself, Weasley," Scorpius called to me, "Wouldn't want our Seeker knocked out now, would we?"

I spun back into action, ignoring the sarcastic undertones, "Uh hu. Thanks Malf- oh!"

As I'd been transfixed on the bludger, the snitch had floated nearer to me, and without finishing my sentence, I raced off after it.

The game was won in less than half a minute.

I glided back down to the grass to triumphant applause from both my team and the students in the stands. I held up the snitch for everyone to see as Scorpius landed beside me. "Nice eyes, Weasley," he said over the applause, and I flushed red.

I'd always hated compliments.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, I love you all so much for the support. Actually. You're amazing. And I'm sorry that this chapter might seem out of the texture, but I liked the idea for it so I really just ran with it. And I'm sorry the character and plot arcs aren't as in depth as I would have liked. There's only so much I can do with only one chapter for year. So I'm sorry. And also, I won't really be posting every day much, but your reviews kind of inspired me today. Your support really does help me write/post faster. So thank you again. Xo**

**~Dani**

**Year 3**

_"And bring on all the pretenders_

_I'm not afraid"_

"Hey, Weasley!" A voice called down the hallway, "How 'bout Hogsmede next Thursday?"

I didn't even turn around before answering, "I said no," and then after a pause, "Two or three thousand times."

"Well I'll keep asking until you say yes," he said, falling into step with me.

I sighed, "You know, you seem a lot like Uncle Harry's father."

He raised his eyebrows, seeming genuinely interested, "How so?"

"He was an arrogant twat who asked out Lily Evans a thousand times, just for kicks, even though he got rejected every single time."

"Yes, but didn't they eventually get married?" he asked.

"That is very much besides the point."

"And have a kid?"

"_Malfoy!"_

"Sorry, sorry," he chuckled, raising his hands in surrender, "But you'll be here tomorrow, right? Same time, same place? I've asked you eight days in a row now. Wouldn't want to break the streak."

"Are you actually-"

"Maybe I'll even bring flowers."

I scowled, "Don't you dare."

"Roses."

I felt my face burning. I didn't respond.

He smirked, "Glad we sorted that out," he said, and turned to leave, "Catch you later, Red."

* * *

"Oops, sorry, Weasley," came a high pitched, nasally voice as my books were shoved out of my hands.

I looked up into the expectant face of Ashlee Goyle, the girl who had made her goal in life tormenting me since I'd set foot on Hogwarts grounds. I raised my wand. Not to disfigure her pinched, smirking face, not to turn her perfect brown hair into snakes- no. I couldn't do that. Just to pick up my books.

"Careful," she said, "Wouldn't want another accident like in Defence Against. What did you do again? Set your robes on fire?"

Her prissy little group of friends snickered, and I ground my teeth. Defence Against the Dark Arts admittedly wasn't my best subject, but both she and I knew that I'd done nothing of the sort.

"It's sad, isn't it," the Slytherin continued, "Your parents and your Uncle were so great at Defence Against. In fact," she paused, "Your cousins are decent too, aren't they? So it's just you, isn't it." She pouted in mock sympathy, "Poor little Rose, are you sure you're not adopted?"

I clenched my fist as she laughed. I bent to gather my books, but someone beat me to it. Apparently charmed, they stacked themselves and levitated into my arms. I looked around, and shocked, found myself looking into the face of Scorpius Malfoy.

"Don't you have anywhere better to be, Goyle?" he practically spit at her.

Gaping, the brunette girl just stared at him, "Scorpius? You two _know_ each other?" she finally said.

"Yes. You'd think that would have been apparent."

She blinked, dumbfounded. "But why are you on _her_ side? We've known each other for_ever_. Our _parents_ used to be _such_ good _friends._" Her shrill voice seemed to stress almost every other word.

"Our parents do not make us, _Ashlee_," he said, "Rose and I are friends. Now leave her alone."

With that, he turned and walked off, without another word to either of us.

I didn't follow, and Goyle and her friends walked off, leaving me standing alone in the middle of the hallway.

* * *

"Malfoy, can we talk?"

Classes were done for the day, and I caught him on the way back to the Ravenclaw Tower, stopping him by the side of the hallway.

"Sure," he said, leaning up against the castle walls, "What's up?"

"About today," I said, shifting my weight, "When Goyle and her friends were saying stuff..."

I trailed off, but he raised his eyebrows, almost asking me to continue.

"You said we were _friends..." _Scorpius and I had a complicated relationship. We were on friendly enough terms, but our conversations never drifted far from Quidditch and schoolwork. The only other times he talked to me was when he teased me about stupid things, and when he seemingly randomly decided to ask me to Hogsmede. 'Friends' would not have been the first word I used.

He smiled, so far from his usual arrogant smirk that I almost stepped back. But his mystifying answer was what left me staring blankly at the wall even after he'd walked away: "Well I had to say something, didn't I?"

* * *

The next day, I found him waiting for me. Same time, same place; flowers and all.


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay so this one's ****_really _****short and I'm sorry about that. But this is the last sort of transition-ish chapters (The last chapter was too), so I hope you like it. As always, thank you so much for the reviews, the kind words along with the advice. Every little thing helps. Cheers,**

**~Dani**

**Year 4**

_"Long live all the walls we crashed through"_

"Oi, Weasley! You finish your Charms paper?"

I sighed inwardly, knowing that he already knew the answer. "Of course."

"Can I see it?"

I'd expected as much, and I turned to look at him, "Of course not. Do your own paper."

"Oh, c'mon, Rosie." Scorpius's lips were turned down in a pout, and he was giving off as much of a puppy-dog vibe as one could while still having a blinding arrogance radiating from every pore of their body. "At least help me do it then?"

"If I help you, will you stop bothering me?"

"Yes."

"Then fine," I said, "But only this once."

He smiled, "Meet me in the library after Potions, okay?" Without waiting for an answer, he winked and walked off.

What did I get myself into?

* * *

Potions was my last class of the day, so after stopping by Ravenclaw Tower to drop off my things, I headed down to the library. I couldn't find him at first, but after a few minutes of circling, I found him sitting in the very back of the room, sprawled across an impressive number of chairs.

His head was buried in a book, but when he heard me, he looked up and straightened himself, now taking up only a fortunate one chair. "Ah, there you are, Weasley," he said, "I was almost worried you weren't going to show up."

I rolled my eyes and sat across from him, "I really don't see why I need to be here though, Malfoy," I said, "You're second in our year. You can't possibly need help."

"Maybe not. But I _am _only second. And you're first, are you not?" he suggested, and I snorted.

"Is this your version of flattery so I'll help you more?"

He winked, "Well that depends on if it's working or not."

I made a shooing motion at him with my hand, but I couldn't help smiling a bit. "All right, get out your books."

As it turned out, Scorpius did not need my help at all. It wasn't entirely surprising, seeing as along with being naturally brilliant, his strive to beat me academically since day one at Hogwarts had propelled him to write almost flawless papers. I couldn't figure out why he had asked for my assistance.

We talked while he wrote, and seeing as he had excellent multitasking skills, the topics didn't stay on Charms for very long, give a side comment here or there.

Soon, we found ourselves talking about Quidditich, and our upcoming game against Gryffindor. "Hugo says he's going to knock you off your broom," I told him.

Scorpius didn't even look up, "How pleasant of him," he said, "How's he going to do that?"

"Bludger right at the back of your head." It was true. My brother had been joking of course- through Albus, Scorpius had become widely accepted into most of our family- and Scorpius knew, but he only shook his head.

"But that wouldn't do," he said, and before letting me ask why, he looked up at me and continued, "You'd miss me too much."

I snorted and rolled my eyes, "Naturally."

As the night went on, our topics drifted from Quidditch, to friends, teachers, the latest school drama; everything really. I felt myself smiling, in spite of myself, and laughing at his jokes. Without the embellishments and snide comments, Scorpius Malfoy seemed like, well, a person.

The library was deserted by the time he was finished his paper- which, mind you, other than a few helpful comments from me, he did entirely without help- and although I wouldn't say I was sad to leave, the night ending wasn't as much of a relief as I would have thought.

I watched him as he packed up his books. "You know, " I said, "When you're not completely full of yourself, you're alright, Malfoy."

He smiled, "_Scorpius," _he corrected.

"Scorpius." It felt foreign, repeating his name. His _first _name. But it wasn't entirely unwelcome.

Still smiling, he stood up, "Thanks again, _Rose_."


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay so this one's pretty short too. I'm not sure they'll ever get back up to the length of the first chapters. But I like this one, so I really hope you enjoy it.**

**PS. I'm not going to be able to post until Sunday, but don't forget to tell me what you think in a review!**

**PPS. And only one review for my last update? Huh. Oh well I guess. I still love you guys. (Maybereviewmorethistimeprettyplease?)**

**~Dani**

**Year 5**

_"I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you"_

"Riddikulus!" I screamed, but it sounded weak, even to my own ears.

I was practicing with a boggart in a spare room of the castle. Students weren't usually allowed access, but as for a lot of things, I was an exception.

"You know if you could really fight the dark arts, that would have worked," my mother's voice said, as the boggart took her form, "Honestly, do you know the kind of magic we were doing at your age?"

It morphed into Uncle Harry, "I had taken on dark magic countless times before I was fifteen. I saw Voldemort be _reborn_. But look at you. You'd never survive that. You can't even defeat a simple boggart."

_'It's not real,' _I told myself, and I knew it wasn't. But that didn't make it untrue. My whole family knew it. Heck, the whole _school _knew it. I remembered Ashlee Goyle and her cronies telling me I'd never live up to my parents. And I couldn't even defend myself, because how can you, when you know yourself that it's the truth.

I looked up, and now it was my father standing over me, holding a photograph in his hands. "Look," he said. The picture showed my cousins, Lily and James, along with my brother, Hugo, spinning their wands and crying out incantations. Beams of light spun through the air, hitting marked targets, which were mounted on the walls. When they finished, they were met with a round of applause from their peers and teachers alike.

"Have you ever gotten that?" Dad hissed, "Have you ever been praised like that for your Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

I flinched back, "No," I said, "But-"

"Look at your Uncle Harry and I. Aurors. Don't you want to live up to us? Don't you even _try?"_

"Riddikulus!" I screamed, but the boggart seemed unbothered. I was so preoccupied I almost didn't notice the door to my classroom opening.

"Rose?"

I spun to face the doorway, and there, looking confused and worried, stood Scorpius.

"I'm fine," I called to him, "You can go." The words came out harsher than I intended, but I didn't want him to see me like this, frightened and desperate.

The boggart shifted back into my mother, turning to face Scorpius. "And him, Scorpius Malfoy? This is the one you like to spend time with, Rose? He's a _Malfoy_. And you know what Malfoys are? They're Dark Wizards. They always have been. What makes you think he's any different from his father? Or his grandfather? Our families _despised _each other in school. What should make you two different? You're setting yourself up for failure by just associating with him. You'll never amount to anything this way. I might as well just-"

My mother's voice cut off, and the boggart started to shift again, probably sensing Scorpius, who was now nearer to it than I was. It was still forming, with a flash of red and black, before he shouted "Riddikulus!" as if he already knew what was coming.

The creature retreated, back into the closet, and Scorpius shut the latch.

Feeling defeated, I sat down against the wall, face in my hands. I felt him sit down beside me, but I couldn't make myself look up. I was too embarrassed. How could I ever do anything great if I couldn't defeat one simple boggart. One that took the shape of my _parents, _no less.

I waited for him to make fun of me. At least an off-handed snarky comment. But nothing. And I was still too shaken to wonder why.

"You okay?" he asked, after a few minutes of silence, and I finally looked up to face him. There was no humor in his eyes, no sign that he found amusement in my failures the way he'd always used to. This was a different side to him, one that I'd only seen on a few occasions, when it was just me and him and he finally let his guard down. I couldn't say that I didn't like him this way.

I managed a smile, "Of course," I said, "I'm just," Pause. "Tired."

It rang false even to my own ears. Scorpius saw right through me.

"We aren't our parents, Rose," he said quietly, "None of us are. We're us. I'm not my father, and you aren't yours. And you don't need to be like your uncle. Because you aren't him. You're you."

I wasn't completely comforted. "But you _are _a Malfoy," I said, "And I _am _a Weasley. Doesn't that mean anything?"

"Do you want it to?" he asked softly, and I shook my head.

"No."

He smiled, "Then it doesn't."


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm back guys. I really don't know what to say here, other than that the next chapter will most likely be the last. Maybe if I get enough requests for it or reviews I'll do an epilogue, but I dunno. But thank you guys again for all of your support. Xo**

**~Dani**

**Year 6**

_"Long live all the magic we made"_

"Scorpius, slow down!" I called, laughing, and even though I couldn't see him, I ran to catch up. The grass of the Hogwarts grounds tickled my feet, illuminated only by the moon and the lights pouring from the castle windows.

"No way," the boy called back, "The charms will wear off soon. We have to be far enough away from the castle before we turn visible again." From the sound of his voice, he was just over ten feet ahead of me.

"No one's going to look out the window," I complained, "And it's dark anyways."

"I just don't want to get caught," he said, "It would be bad if two Ravenclaw Prefects were caught sneaking out? Besides, it's your fault you let James have the invisibility cloak."

I huffed. "In my defense, he had some girl steal it from under my bed."

"Some girl, huh?"

I grinned into the darkness. "Yeah, one of those girls who are totally, irrationally in love with him. They do whatever he says."

"Plural?" he asked, sounding horrified, "As in there's multiple of them?"

"Terrifying, isn't it?" I said, "I worry for their state of mind."

I stopped running as I reached the lake, and I felt him do the same. We hadn't slowed to a walk for more than ten seconds before I felt a tingling sensation run through me, and I looked down to find myself visible again.

Scorpius sat down on the grass by the water, and I followed suit, sitting beside him.

"It's nice, isn't it?" he said, and I nodded, even though I wasn't quite sure what he was talking about. The weather, the lake, the break in our classes, the silence, or just the fact that we were just sitting together for the first time in what felt like a thousand years. It didn't matter. It all seemed pretty nice to me.

When he looked over at me, I could still see the little boy I met when I was eleven. The one who smirked at me like he was so much better than I was, the one never seemed to take anyone else seriously. But the spark in his eyes were warmer now, less harsh.

"Remember the first time we snuck out?" he asked me, and I nodded.

It was in third year, on a dare. James bet me that I couldn't spend a night outside the castle, then dared Scorpius to tag along. "I got Howlers for a straight week," I said, and he chuckled.

"You'd think your parents would cut you some slack, seeing as they almost got themselves expelled on numerous occasions."

"Occasions in which my father almost gave Mum a heart attack due to how close they were to expulsion," I pointed out.

As we sat, the wind started to pick up, and I hugged my knees, shivering. Scorpius cocked an eyebrow at me, "Are you cold?"

"No," I lied, and another spasm rocked through me.

He shrugged out of his coat, something that I, unfortunately, had forgotten, "Here," he said, "Take this."

"No," I insisted, "I'm not cold." _Shiver_.

"Is that so," he said, looking amused.

"Honest," I said. "I'm not cold-" _Shiver_. "-at all." _Shiver._

"Your definition of honesty seems different than mine," he said, and lifted his jacket to place it over my shoulders.

Surrendering, I let him, but continued to mutter "Not cold" under my breath until the weight of his coat rested over top of my robes.

I pulled it around me, but said, "I'm really not," before he decided to gloat about being right or something equally infuriating.

He sighed, "Say what you want to hear, Rose," he said, and pulled a box out of his pocket, "But I want to show you something."

Curious, I leaned over, trying to read the words on it, "What is it?"

"I got them at a muggle shop last summer," he said, "I've been waiting to try them out. They're called fireworks."

"Fireworks," I repeated. The name sounded familiar, but, for the life of me, I couldn't remember what they were, "And a muggle shop? The great Scorpius Malfoy went shopping at a muggle store?"

"Oh please-"

"No secret magical functions? Just a plain old-"

"_Rose._"

I smiled, "Yes?"

He shook his head, and emptied the contents of the box into his hand. "They're loud though," he said.

"Will people in the castle hear it?"

"Most likely."

"Will we get caught?"

Pause. "Most likely."

I weighed my options. "Alright," I said finally, "Go ahead."

He smiled, and after murmuring '_Lumos' _and igniting his wand, he got to work setting up. I watched over his shoulder, trying to make sense of it, but it was too dark for me to understand.

After a minute, he stood up, "There," he said, "Done." He gestured for me to stand as well, pointed to a spot just over ten feet away, "Go sit there, okay?" he said, and I nodded.

"Okay." I sat down on the grass where he had pointed and squinted through the dark at where he was still standing. Suddenly, a flash of light sparked from where he was standing and he came sprinting towards me.

Breathing hard, he sat down beside me on the ground. "Wait for it," he said, before I could ask. So I did. I waited, not quite sure what I was waiting for, but waited all the same.

As it turned out, it wasn't long before I saw what I was waiting for. Brilliant steaks of light shot up into the sky and exploded with a bang into colourful swirls and shapes. Before I could even catch my breath, it happened again. Blue. Then green. White. Red.

I felt my eyes grow with wonder, and in the back of my mind, I knew that this was surely loud enough to wake the castle. Surely someone would be here soon to haul us back to our dormitories. But for the life of me, I really couldn't care less. Let them find us. As long as this moment lasted, I'd be alright.

Scorpius's eyes were trained on mine, watching my reaction. "So what do you think?" he asked after a while.

I turned to face him, and only one word came to mind. "It's magical."


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys, so here's the last year. I'm still thinking about the epilogue, but I'm still not really sure. Post-Hogwarts isn't really my style. The door's still open for it though, which is why I still have this under 'in progress'. But anyways, just on the chance that this is my last update, I just wanted to say again how much fun I had with this, and how much your love and support means to me. Honestly, you guys are amazing. And to you lovely people who send me those sweet reviews, I can't thank you enough. (And I'd name you, but you and I both know exactly who you are. Ily.) It's been a good run guys. So thank you.**

**~Dani**

**Year 7**

_"It was the end of a decade, _

_But the start of an age"_

It's almost funny how things tend to come full circle. For instance, I kind of felt like a first year with my face pressed against the train car window, trying to catch my first glimpse of Hogwarts castle. Except I wasn't a first year, and what I was craving was not a first look, but a last. As the train rolled down the tracks, I stared out through the glass long after the castle had disappeared from sight, just humouring myself that I could still see it.

"You okay, Rose?" Scorpius asked, and I nodded, although I felt far from okay. I had never been the sentimental type, really. I never saw the point. Being upset about something ending didn't fix the problem. It just made you- well- upset.

But I couldn't help myself now. This wasn't some summer camp or a vacation to some exotic resort. Those I could get over. But this was _Hogwarts. _It was where I met my best friends, made my happiest memories. This was where I grew up.

"This is our last time, Scor," I whispered, and he understood. He understood that this was different, so different, than anything else that had ever happened before.

He stood up and crossed the train compartment to sit beside me. "Let's not talk about lasts," he said, "Okay? Let's talk about firsts."

"Firsts?" I asked, my eyes still on the window.

"Firsts," he repeated. "How about," he paused, "That first Charms paper."

I smiled, in spite of everything, because I remembered what he was talking about.

* * *

_ I was sitting in first year Charms, one the only classes that year I'd had with Scorpius. We were getting back our first paper of the year, and my father's words from the platform were ringing through my ears. '_ Make sure you beat him in every test.'

_My eyes found him across the classroom , talking to Albus, looking like he didn't have a care in the w- wait. Talking to _Albus? _My cousin, Albus?_ _I was so stunned I couldn't even look away, and seemingly feeling my gaze on them, the two boys turned to look at me._

_ Al shot me a curious look and raised a hand in a sort of half-wave. '_What's wrong?' _he mouthed, and I shook my head dismissively. I forced my eyes back down to my desk, but through my peripheral vision, I could still see Scorpius whispering something in Al's ear and the two of them sharing a laugh._

_ I sat still until my name was called to get my paper, trying my best to ignore the undeniable friendship forming between my cousin and the boy who was destined to be my greatest rival._

_ After class, the two of them approached me, Albus a few steps ahead. "How'd you do, Rosie?" he asked, but I didn't want to say anything before I'd heard Scorpius._

_ "How'd you do?"I retorted. I could hear how childish I sounded, but neither of them reacted, so I didn't care._

_ Albus said "Eighty-four" at the same time Scorpius said "Ninety-four"._

_ Al snorted, "The guy's practically a genius," he started to explain, but I was too busy sighing with relief._

_ "Ninety-six," I said, and Al stopped in his tracks._

_ "Bloody hell, Rose," he said, and Scorpius let out a low whistle._

_ And he didn't say anything, but the challenging smirk in his eyes said it all. '_Next time.'

* * *

"I can't believe you beat me," Scorpius chuckled, and somehow, the story raised my spirits just a little.

"I can't believe you kept trying," I countered, laughing, "You beat me, what, twice in seven years?"

"Three," he corrected, and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face.

"Apologies."

But against both of our best efforts, my mood dropped again all too soon. Scorpius noticed.

"What about the first-" He cut himself off, sighing. "It's really over, isn't it?" he said, not even bothering to keep up the pretence of nonchalance.

I nodded, "It's really going to suck that we won't be able to see each other that much anymore."

"I don't know," he said, pausing, "Maybe-" Another pause. "Maybe we could still see each other." His voice trailed off unsurely. He wrung his hands together in his lap.

"That depends on what you're implying, Scor," I said, trying to keep from smiling at his discomfort. Besides, Scorpius Malfoy struggling for words? That had to be a first.

He looked up at me, "You're laughing at me, aren't you?"

There was a full blown grin on my face now, "What gave you that idea?"

He mock shoved my shoulder and I laughed, just soaking in the feeling of these last moments.

"Remember when you used to be the one teasing me?" I ask him, and he snorts.

"Those were the days."

We lapsed into silence, and an almost tangible tension started forming in the few minutes before he spoke, "Rose, if I asked you an honest question, could you give me an honest answer?"

"Okay," my voice was barely audible, but he seemed to hear me.

"Rose, I've liked you since third year, and last year, when we set off those fireworks, was when I realized it was so much more than that. I'm in love with you, Rose Weasley, so can you just tell me now, is there any chance you feel the same way?"

His eyes had a wild, lost look in them, and I could tell hadn't planned on saying as much as he did. "I-" I tried to respond, but the words got caught in my throat.

"An honest answer, Rose," he said quietly. He looked almost pained, and I took a deep breath, knowing that I at least owed him that much.

But I was never good with my words the way he was. I couldn't improvise a speech to show all of my feelings. I was never one for dramatic monologues, I was just simple. So after thinking a moment, I said: "Yes."

And somehow, that one word conveyed so much meaning. It was a finale to the love/hate relationship we'd had since day one, the on-again-off-again friendship that had always frustrated me so much. It was everything I couldn't say, but everything I meant, and somehow, miraculously, he understood.

His smile brightened, and he didn't even get a word out before the train slowed to a stop. I looked out the window, recognizing Platform 9 3/4, and sighed. This was it.

But looking at the now-at-ease blonde beside me, I decided it would be alright. Because after all, an end of one thing is the beginning of another, and by the looks of it, _this_ new beginning wouldn't be all too bad.


End file.
